1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a bicycle brake control assembly, and more particularly to a bicycle auxiliary brake control assembly which is provided in addition to a brake lever assembly to enable selective operation of a brake assembly either by the auxiliary brake control assembly or by the brake lever assembly.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As is well known, racing bicycles in general have a drop handle arm which includes a pair of downwardly directed curved side portions and an intermediate straight portion. In high speed riding, the cyclist grips the curved side portions of the handle arm to take a forwardly inclined riding posture, thereby minimizing aerodynamic resistance. In low speed riding, on the other hand, the cyclist grips the intermediate straight portion of the handle arm to assume a substantially upright relaxed riding posture.
Typically, the drop handle arm is provided with a pair of downwardly extending brake levers (one for the front brake and the other for the rear brake) arranged at the respective curved portions of the handle arm or with a pair of laterally extending brake levers arranged in front of the handle arm straight portion. The downwardly extending brake lever (drop lever) has a disadvantage that the cyclist must shift his hands from the handle arm straight portion to the curved portions for braking operation during low speed riding, whereas the laterally extending brake lever has an opposite problem. Such imperative shifting of the cyclist's hands causes a delay in braking operation and can sometimes put him in danger during riding.
In order to eliminate the above described problem, Japanese Utility Model application Laid-open No. 51-50754 (Laid-open: Apr. 17, 1976; application No. 49-125879; Filed: Oct. 16, 1974; Inventor: Masayoshi KINE; Applicant: Shimano Industrial Company Limited) proposes the combination of a main brake lever and an auxiliary brake lever for operating each same brake assembly. More specifically, the main brake lever is pivotally mounted to a mount bracket at each curved side portion of a drop handle arm and extends downwardly therefrom. The main brake lever is operatively connected through a double type control cable (Bowden cable) to a remote brake assembly for controlling thereof. The auxiliary brake lever is also pivotally mounted to the mount bracket but extends laterally therefrom along and in front of the handle arm intermediate straight portion. The auxiliary brake lever has an engaging portion engaging with the main brake lever in a manner such that the pivotal movement of the auxiliary brake lever causes simultaneous pivotal movement of the main brake lever.
According to this arrangement, the cyclist may selectively operate the main or auxiliary brake lever depending on a particular riding posture, consequently making it unnecessary to shift his hands for braking. However, such arrangement requires special design of the main brake lever for combination with the auxiliary brake lever. Thus, it is impossible to use an ordinary drop lever as the main brake lever, which results in cost increase. Further, the auxiliary brake lever must extend a considerable length from the mount bracket in order to provide a ready access for a cyclist's hand gripping the intermediate straight portion of the handle arm, inevitably increasing the required pivotal stroke of the auxiliary brake lever to ensure a complete braking operation.
A similar combination of a main brake lever and an auxiliary brake lever is also disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 3,776,061 to Yoshigai and U.S. Pat. No. 3,977,270 to Cristie.